Some Kona coast snorkelling pics

[Diana]

Just a selection of photos from our trip to the Big Island of Hawai'i a couple weeks ago. It was perfect, we loved the island and are considering purchasing some land there! It really has everything. I am also glad to say the coral looked fantastic, and there were lots of fish to be seen (the coast is closed to commercial fishing/collecting). I was speaking with a collector off the south point of the island whom had just come in from a "good day", wherein he caught almost 600 2-3" yellow tangs for aquarium export. :eek:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/yellow1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/trigger1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/urchin2-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide1.jpg

Cheers
-Diana & Raf

[Diana]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/wide2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/urchin1-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/star1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/snowflake1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/dinostar00/puffer2.jpg

Cheers
-Diana & Raf

[Myka]

Wow! I didn't know the reefs in Hawaii were so abundant. Love the Parrotfish! Oh, and they are so yummy too aren't they? :D Oh wait, you're a veggie aren't ya? Nevermind then...

[Delphinus]

Looks great! :)

[cprowler]

Yes....Very Nice! :thumb:

[Samw]

Oh man oh man. Now you make me want to plan my next vacation there. :) Which beach was that? Any recommendation for acommodation? Great pics. What camera?

[Veng68]

I love the black triggers with blue strips on the top and bottom.

Any idea what they are called?

Cheers,
Vic

[KennyKen]

They are durgeron's are they not?
I actually just saw a pair at a big al's in Mississauga

[Key Equine]

We were on the Big Island in November, it's gorgeous isn't it?? I have been trying to plan another trip back to the islands this coming winter.

If I can recommend accomodations to you, Samw, we stayed in a couple of fantastic B&B's. The Honu Kai B&B in Kona and the Volcano Rainforest Retreat in Volcano were both awesome, if you're into the B&B thing...

Great photos Diana, thanks for sharing!

[workn2hard2day]

snipped for room....It was perfect, we loved the island and are considering purchasing some land there!

We were on Maui in January. Husband thought the same thing when we were there (soooo many foreclosures). Boy do I miss Maui! The snorkelling is so good, I didn't feel cheated when he was diving. So many fish it is a little freaky when they all swim up to you, mostly the triggers with really big teeth.

[Rbacchiega]

Wow! Love the Parrotfish! Oh, and they are so yummy too aren't they?

yep...especially with a little bit of lemon butter when they're cooked over open fire mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Diana]

Haha! I havent tried parrotfish I dont think... although I did eat a lot of fish in the Cook Islands that I dont quite remember what they were.... :D

Love love love the Big Island. It has tropical rain forests, prehistoric fern-forests, pine forests, beaches, tropical deserts, deserts, alpine deserts, snow-capped mountians, volcanoes, prairies and grasslands, cattle farms, lush valleys... omg the list goes on. Not so many typical "white sand beaches" but the snorkelling is best off the rocky ones anyways! Lots of really private beaches and also some big touristy ones.

These snorkelling pics were all off of more private beaches. Mainly Two-Step near puuhonua o honaunau, Mioli'i, and captian cook monument in Kealekekua Bay (you need to kayak there). We stayed at B&B's Diver Dan's near Honaunau (about 1 hour south of Kona) and a beautiful plantation house called Ka'awa Loa Plantation B&B in Kealekekua. Both were fabulous... and I want to be a bit greedy and not tell anyone about Ka'awaLoa so no one goes there and its all for me. :D

If you go be sure to rent a 4x4 cus its a BIG ISLAND and it takes forever to drive around, but you get to see so much that it is worth it.

Oh and the cam is a little Olympus SW underwater digi.

-Diana

[Key Equine]

Yup, definitely requires a 4x4! Did you guys go to the Green Sand Beach? That was pretty amazing!

[Diana]

Yeah we did! And we hiked out there too cus we werent too sure about the 4x4 tracks... there was one part where someone scraped off some of thier car! We actually had a Ford Escape, so it was "all wheel drive", not really the best for 4x4ing. It was worth the hike though for a nice swim in a beautiful spot!

:)
-Diana

[hockey nut]

Great pics, Thanks for sharing

I miss Hawaii. Never been to the big island yet. one day hopefully :)

[Snappy]

I dove Kona a few years ago and it is awesome. Great pix, thanks for sharing.

[Key Equine]

Yeah we did! And we hiked out there too cus we werent too sure about the 4x4 tracks... there was one part where someone scraped off some of thier car! We actually had a Ford Escape, so it was "all wheel drive", not really the best for 4x4ing. It was worth the hike though for a nice swim in a beautiful spot!

:)
-Diana

Ooohh, yeah an Escape would have been bad in there. We had a Jeep 4x4and nearly didn't make it. It was sure an adventure though!! Aawwww, I want to go back!